Research Associates
Research Associates
Professor, Health Care Management & Undergraduate Program Director
Biopharmaceutical & healthcare IPOs, economic amalgamation in healthcare, mergers & acquisitions in healthcare, and real option reasoning
Ph.D., Administration—Health Services, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Master of Health Administration, Georgia State University
Master of Business Administration, Georgia State University
B.A. English Literature, Wofford College
Additional information on David Williams can be found at: https://hcm.appstate.edu/faculty-and-staff/david-williams
Research Affiliates
Research Affiliates
Associate Professor, Social Work
Adult homelessness & substance abuse, crisis assessment and intervention, spatial & longitudinal research, Bayesian methods, and systems science and complex service systems.
Ph.D., Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis
MSW, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
B.A., Biology, The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
Additional information on Dr. Alexander-Eitzman can be found at: https://socialwork.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/ben-alexander-eitzman
Professor, Department of Health and Exercise Science
Director, Office of Student Research
Physical activity and children and youth, improving motor development to increase physical activity in children, youth sports, physical characteristics of college athletes across a competitive career
Ph.D., Growth and Motor Development, Michigan State University
M.S., Exercise Physiology, Indiana University
B.S., Health Science, Lock Haven University
B.S., Physical Education Studies, University of Delaware
Additional information on Becky Battista can be found at: https://hes.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/rebecca-battista
Assistant Professor, Speech-Language Pathology
Use of eyetracking and pupillometry to study cognitive effort, attention, and working memory in the context of normal aging and in neurogenic language disorders including aphasia, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia.
Ph.D. Speech-Language Science, Ohio University
M.A. Speech-Language Pathology, Ohio University
B.A., Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University
B.A., Music, Michigan State University
Additional information on Laura Chapman can be found at: https://rhs.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/laura-chapman-ccc-slp
Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Exercise Science
HOPE Lab Co-Director
Promotion of rural children's outdoor play and physical activity, lifelong maintenance of physical activity, and community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches in rural areas
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Georgia, 2012-2014
Ph.D., University of Georgia, Health Promotion & Behavior
M.A., University at Albany, Anthropology
B.S., Binghamton University, Anthropology (minor in Biology)
Additional information on Richard Christiana can be found at: https://hes.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/richard-christiana
Associate Professor, Nutrition and Foods Program
Theory-based nutrition education programs for behavior change and maintenance among rural dwelling patients
Ph.D., Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University
M.S., Nutrition, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
B.S., Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State University
Additional information on Melissa Gutschall can be found at: https://nutrition.appstate.edu/faculty-and-staff/melissa-davis-gutschall
Associate Professor, Nutrition and Health Care Management
Community-based participatory research (particularly with faith-based partners), Nutrition and physical activity behavior change , Obesity and chronic disease prevention, Influence of health messaging and social networks on diet and physical activity practices
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Cancer Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii’s Cancer Center
PhD, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina
MS, Exercise Science, University of South Carolina
Certificate of Study, Gerontology, University of South Carolina
BS, Human Nutrition, Winthrop University
Additional information on Brook Harmon can be found at: https://nutrition.appstate.edu/faculty-and-staff/brook-harmon
Assistant Professor, Athletic Training
Assessment of Function and Health-Related Quality of Life, Clinical Applications of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures, Articular Cartilage Repair and Restoration
Ph.D. Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
M.S. Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
B.S. Athletic Training, High Point University, High Point, NC
Additional Information on Jennifer Howard can be found at: https://hes.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/jennifer-howard
Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Foods
Understanding and reducing barriers to access and utilization of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in rural Appalachian North Carolina.
PhD, Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
MS, Nutrition, Appalachian State University
Registered Dietitian (RD), Commission on Dietetic Registration
BS, Nutrition and Foods, Concentration in Dietetics, Appalachian State University
Additional information on Sydeena Isaacs can be found at: https://nutrition.appstate.edu/faculty-and-staff/sydeena-isaacs
Professor and Director for the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education
Children in the outdoors, learning in non-formal educational settings outdoor, adventure, experiential and interpretation, natural and cultural interpretation, environmental socialization, healthy lifestyles/children, formative evaluation in non-formal educational settings, and human dimensions of natural resources
Ph.D., Parks Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University
M.S., Curriculum and Instruction, Northern Illinois University
B.S. Education, University of Georgia
Additional information on Joy James can be found at: https://rmpe.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/joy-james